
Book^ilii- 



The Crisis'-Peace or War. 



BY JESSE B. MOORE. 



.M6 



QUI 
AaJhor 



'V^^'\'' 



Crisis-Peace or War. 



The impartial stuiknit is iiiiahle (o <lis(M>vfi' any meritd- 
lidiis cause ii)r the gigantic and l)hioil.v wai- into which the 
uaiidus of Eni-upe have heen plunged. On the one side it is 
charged to (jernian Militarism, and on the orhei- to English 
Couimei-cialism and Marine Mililaiism, and old grudges of 
Fiance and linssia against <iei-niany. wilh the alleged amltifioii 
of lioth sides foi- the iiolitical as<eiidancy and tei-iitorial acqui- 
sition. Cerman Militarism is alleged to he a menace to Ku- 
ro]>e and ]<]nglish Commei'cirilisni and Maiine Militarism are 
said to threaten the conmierce and peace of the world. Be it 
the one or ihe other of these causes, or both combined, it is not 
our piiivince to contend, as the citizens of a neutral counti-y. 
When the cannon's roar is hushed and the smoke of battle has 
rolled away, the impartial historian will tell the true story of 
the causes of the terrible conflict, li should be enough fur 
lis to know that it is a most unholy strife, waged for the de- 
struction of empires, to cause us to shun and avoid it by every 
honorable means. 

The extraordinary passion engendered by it, has enthralle<i 
all iMirope and sent a disturbing tremoi' through civilization, 
fudcr its efl'ects the leaders and moulders of political Tlionglii 
and influence of all neutral countries have been agitated be- 
yond the coutrol and guidance of wisdom, as seen and read in 
l>assing events and jmbiic utterances echoed in the cosmojjoii- 
lan ])r('ss, gleaned from the journals and ]ieriodicals of all coun- 
ties. Their condition is that of the snioiddering volcano, 
ready to explode at the slightest jar or (piake. When one com- 
Imstihle force collides with another of e(pml comlmstibilily, 
:i dual explosion is the natural result. 

It is npiiarent from these considerations that no nentra! 
nation is secure from international (-(nnplications wilh some 
onc' of these contending nations, and from becoming involve<l 
in the wicked conflict. The heads of neutral nations should iliere- 
!'ore. iji si'.( li critical riiiies. iiossess grcal strenglh and wis(him. 



jiroseiviiii;- iilways tlic iiiosi prnfoiuul calniiK'ss (if feeling and 
tliouglit. to be able to eond-ol and direct the affairs and in- 
terests of the State in such manner as to avoid the breakers 
and disasters to be encountered, in the rajiid rise and change 
of events, ebbing and flowing from this nnielstrom of passion 
and blood. 

In the midst of these internal and external inflammable 
conditions, the English freight and passenger steamer, Lusi- 
tania, was sunk by a German submarine in the war zone pro- 
claimed and established by Germany around the Rritisli Isles, 
with the loss of more than 100 Americaus, who had voluntarily 
taken ])assage thereon for the English shores against the warn- 
ings (jf Germany. The tragic loss of these Americans precipi- 
tated the ])resent crisis and crystallized the ciunplications ex- 
isting between this Iveiiublic and Germany. The shock of the 
tiagedy rent the volcano of muzzled smouldering passion of 
the [lolitical leaders of this nation. A wave of excitement and 
majiy radical and inflamed utterances of public leaders swept 
the country. It appeared from some of these utterances rhat 
war with Germany could scarcely be averted. 

Tlu'se inflamed sentiments came from an l']x-l 'resident, 
ILx-Gahinet Ofllicers, Senators, IJe]iresentatlves, and otliei's 
jirominent in American thought and influence, while some of 
the dispassionate and wiser of like ty])e and iTifluence ga\'e ut- 
terance to sentiments of tolerance and moderation. But with 
few excejjtions all united in the detnand for extreme and dras- 
tic measures against (iei'uiany at the hands of the occu]ian.1 (;f 
the White House at Wasliington. 

In the midst of these envircmments the questions involved 
were considered liy the President and his Cabinet, the conclus- 
ions drawn and uu'asnres evolved and jirejiared to' meet the 
emergencies of the hour. Under the circumstances it ajipears 
lliat no nnire temparate and less complicated document could 
have been devised than that issued to Germany by oui' State 
Department. Ami the peojjle of this country are to be congrp/.- 
r.lated on the wisdom of their choice of a President. disj)Iayed 
in the (>!ection of Woodrow Wilson, in his i!;;(riolisni and 



^i-cat iiliililies, witli Ihc cduiiscI of liis able CaliiiU'l. all ilispas- 
sionatc ohMiieuts evcrywlien' seem t(i have iiiiwaverin'^- laitli aii'l 
look Willi implicit eoiilideiue iov the peaceful solution aud set- 
tlement of the impeiidinf;' crisis. It is known to all that no 
one loves jieace more, and condemns war with a keener sense 
(if all i(s horrors and calamity to the peojile, than our wise and 
]iatriotic I'resident. The reference to diplomacv of the issues 
involved is a tririnijih for his administration over the excite- 
iiieiit and jiassions ji re vailing. The a[iiieal to dijilomacy pre- 
s!i]iposes Ihe desire tor an amicable settlement, and is an invi- 
laiion lo dis],assionale and honorable discussion of the issues 
i;ivolved, on the jirincijjies of ]>crtVcr fairness and justice to 
both parries. Such a discussion of Ihe (luesiions presented in 
the American note, cannot fail to bring- an hon(n-able, satisfiic- 
ioiy, and jieaceful adjuslment between two such highly enlight- 
ened and ci\iiized nations as the Fnited States of America an<l 
'ieinnuiy. When all the issues and circumstances are weighed 
in the scales of justice, it nniy be necessary for one of the jiar- 
ii-"s or both to recede iroiu some of its contentions, or nnidify 
them lo accm-d sti-ictly with simple fairness and ]ilain ])rincii)"!es 
of ('(inity. 

Nil great nation can affoi-d to be tinfaii- or unjust in diplo- 
matic discussions \\itli another nation, siin-e to do so is the 
|pi;iin infrarfion of ihe (iolden Ilule. and reacts soonei' or later 
cii its violator in retaliation and retributimi. I do not antici- 
]iale that any unfair or unjust contenticm entering into the 
ciiutroveisy frc/ui this government's staiidjioint will be insist- 
ed ujion by ii. On ihe contrary. I am persuaded, that all inci- 
(Iciilai qucstiiMis jind fechnical lights will lie suboi-dinated to 
Ihe higher right of the great Imdy of the .Smcrican jicople, to 
llieir security in ]ieace and freedom from needless cnniplira- 
lions leading to dire calamities. 

The righr of an .\inerican citizen to !'i-ee sailing on the 
ships of England am] her allies into the sea zone jiroclaimed 
and established around Ihe lliitish Isles for submarine ojiera- 
tiiiiis against llieir merchant mai-iiie: oi- tlii' right of Cermany 
to ]irosecu1e such subniarine ojieration against her enemies. 



tiiider the cironnislances aiul conditions invoking such ojjcia- 
ti((us, apiicai" lo be tlie only serious (jiieslions raised in ihe 
.American note to Germany. All oilier issues presenled v>oul(l 
seem to be ol' easy solution and settlement, since they doublless 
sprang from causes purely iucideutal and accidental and 
cannot reasonably be charged to any intention on the ]iai-t of 
(Jermauy to injure Americans or American ships, which the 
note itself recognizes iu disclaiming any such imputation. 

The importance of these conflicting rights claimed by the 
(wo nations, with the circumstances and conditions recjuiring 
their exercise, demands careful and close consideration. 

From the American viewjxtint there appears to be some di- 
vergence of opinion among leading Americans over the imporl- 
ance to be attached to the right of the neutral citizen to sail 
Ihe high seas on board belligerent vessels into the war zones 
in-oclainied and established by the warring nations for naval 
oj)erations. The negative side of this (juestion a]i]ieals to me 
with greater force than its afHiinative. The al'tirniative side 
of the ([uesfion ajqicars to augment and nir.liiply ilie jiossibiii- 
ties and ]irobaliilities of international complications instead of 
prohibiting them, whereas the atlo]ition of Ihe negative jiosi- 
lion by this (iovei'nment would remove a cause, without tlie 
existence of which no com])lications could reasonably arise to 
this (Jovernnient out of a Liixiidiiia tragedy. 

When the right to sail on belligerent .shi})s was given under 
internatioiml law, the submarine in its present high stage of de- 
velopment, with the increased daiigei- from its ojierations to sea- 
sailing was unknown and could m)t have been in the contempla- 
tion of the lav.'uiaker. If so, it wunld doubtless have been de- 
nied for the greater security of neutral coniiti-ies IVoni en- 
tanglenienis with \\-ariing nati(nis. The conflict belween sncii 
exercise of this right of a neutral citizen, and the ellicient oji- 
(-ration of the submarine against the merchant nnirine of an 
eiK-niy, iiresents. therefore, a new ((ueslion, not in the mind of 
the law-giver, foi' the consideration of neutral nations, and its 
im])ortance and Ihe emergency of the conditions it has ci'eated 
re(iuire immediate solution. It apiiears Hint any solntiim of 



llic (|tK'sl ioii iiHisI (Mil lui', cirlier the alivoj;;!! ion or rest rid iuu 
(jT siicii tccliiiii ill i-ii;lil of liie American cili/.en in sncli maii- 
iiei- lis to avoid ihe conflict, or the lorce<l sacrifice by (iei-niany 
of the ell'ective operation of the suhmarine against the nief- 
chanl vessels of lief foes. 'I'he snccessrul defense and enforce- 
nieiil of tlie ohservance of siicli a ri.Lilit to now sail the seas, 
would destroy the snliinarine's efliciency (jf operation aiiaiiist 
the merchant marine of a superior military sea jiower. Such 
sn[i(.'rior power has always assumed the ri^ht to destroy the 
merchant marine of her weaker foe, by ca)itnre or sinkiii;;' them 
v.'hene\'er j;iven the op];ort iiiiil v . iSut if the rii;hi of an Amer- 
ican citizen to sail inio tiie war zones ol' siilimarine operations, 
ujion l)elliiiereiit slii|)s, should he encourajicil and enforced liy 
this country in the present war, it would diri'clly ojterate as 
a defeiisi' and an ahsolute iirolectiim ol' the inerclianl marine 
o! !'".n,i>land and her allies, since for instance tliey could always 
liiid one or two Americans who would gladly, under such condi- 
tions, take free ]iassaj;(' and hoard to and fro on each ui their 
ships, and thus immune them from any siiccessfuj sulimarine 
attack. J'rotected from lieiim torpedoed because of Ihe ])resence 
111) board of an .\iiiericaii, a (iernian submarine vronld lie power- 
l(>ss to arrest or destroy a freight and |iassenfier steamer of ihe 
enemies. Sucli a jiolicy would also yive jusl roimdatimi for call- 
inj;' in (piesfion the neutrality of this ( ioveriiment, and stibject 
it lo the criticisms and ell'ects naturally i'lowinii" from sitcli a 
status. The present developinent of the submarine has lieeii 
]>ioven by (iei'inany lo be an ellicietit means of defense and of- 
fense by a weaker marine iiower against Ihe sttperior armada 
of dreadnoup.'Iits in times of war. Its aih'enl as sucli a (h'fensi' 
shoiiUl iie iiailed by a'l the wea!-;er nalioiis of ihi' world, lis 
cheapness, (■onii>ared to the cost of dreadnoufjiits and its efficien- 
cy. reiKh'is i1 ])ossib!e foi- small nalions to eipiiji tiiemselves 
\\'ilh adeipiate snbni,-;ri ne iia\ies, in a reasonably siioit time, 
fni- thi^ir (iefense ainainst Ihe oreatesf naval power. Its jiower 
as a destroyinji' agency ujioii the seas cannot he excelled, and no 
luKiWii eflicienl countercheck of ils o]ieratious Ins lieen discov- 
ered. Some characterize its o])erati<ms against a foe's mer- 
(I:ant marine as inhumane, but are no! all Ihe ojierali'ins of 



WAV inlniiniuie'.' A\';ir ineaiis deatli and dostiiutioii, and llie 
greater the carnage and destruction, the more brilliant the vic- 
tory, and the grander the hero, has been the verdict of tiie 
martial si)irits of all ages. Its zones and fields of conflict 
shonld threfore be avoided by everyone not engaged in the con- 
ilict to insure freedoiu from injury. 

The importance of the subnnxrlne policy of tierniany 
against the merchant marine of England and Her allies, is of 
such gravity to her as an etticient counter-stroke in this great 
death and life struggle, in which she is engage<l. that she could 
scarcely be expected to surrender or modify it, even on the de- 
mands of this government, solely for the protection of the tech- 
nical right of Aniei-ican citizens to sail on belligerent vessels in- 
stead of on neutral ships, into the established zones of her 
submarine operations against such vessels, without the inter- 
vention of force of arms. On the other hand it seems that llie 
right of Americans to sail on un-neutral ships into the zones 
of conflict, is only a technical right without any substantial 
merit and conld be surrendered without the sacrifice of ])res- 
tige, honor, or principle. It is without any significant im- 
]iortance even to the few Americans who exercise the right in 
the ]iarticnlar manner of sailing on belligerent ships. 

I thiidc. therefore, that American citizens shonld be dis- 
couraged, and if necessary, jirohibited, from sailing in the war 
zon(» of naval operations established by the belligerenis, es- 
[lecially on any unneutral ship, notwithstanding the techni- 
cal riglit to do so. l)ecaus(> of (lie iiimiincnt danger 1o ilieir lives; 
and if the government deems the exercise of this right in ilie 
P'articular nnmner, of such importance as to I'eqnire ils de- 
fense and I'oi-ced terognition, llien sricli exercise nl' llie rigii! 
should be prohiliited absolutely and immediately for the jU'otec- 
tion of the nation from inevitable serious complications and 
probable war. The right cf the neutral citizen lo thus sail the 
seas into the zones of conflict, should not, we think, be made to 
stand i)aramount to the higher constitutional right of the 
American i)eo])le to their peace and security from need- 
less entanulemenls with anv of the wairine; nalinns. It v.-onld 



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;;;i[)e;ir l';ir iikho piiliiutic aiid wisi'i- I'ln- the jiiivi'iiiiiu'iit to licii;,' 
llii' t'Xercise <>( siicli i-ii;lil in thu iiaf(i(_ul;ir maimc!-, lliaii ii> 
atteuii>t il.s dereuse aiul euldrceiueiil at the sacrifice of blood 
and ti\*asiu-e. The denial of sitcli techuieal right would rost 
(lie saeiiliee of iieilhet lionoi- nor |iriiiri|ile, lail in a most 
peaeefiil manner woidd remove one ol' the real eaiises that [<re- 
iijiitaled the preseni ei-ises, without the existence of wliieh 
il coiild not have ha]i]iened. and if now remo\ed it eainiot re- 
(T.i-. \\'heiiever the exercises of an_v right of the citizen in a 
jiaitietilar manner hee()nies dangerous to him and jeopardizes 
ilie 1r;intiiiilily and jieace of liie nalion. it a]ipeai-s, Ihat ii 
shotild be immediatelv abrogated, no malier I'rom wiiai canse 
Ihe danger ai'ises. or with what sand ion of lavr ilie right may 
have gi'/eii. If the eniergiiic\' of iiie iioiir :!eniaiids ariion. 
\\'hich seems to be the case here, the aiilhorities in ]iov\'i'r, ir 
a|)]iears. siaitdd act at om .• by denying ])assports, or by odior 
a.de([nate means elfeclna'ly preveniin:'; tln' exercise of snci; 
right in sitcli manner as tends to bi-irig serious comiijicai Uiiis. 
The emergency of such action in the jiresent crisis is scarce];. 
of less ir.iporlance than Ihal confroniing .Mr. Li!ic(]in \\]\i-'.\ he 
jiroclaimeil the emancipation of sla\-ery in l^i(i:!, in (he I'ace of 
the (Mjiress ( 'oiistitiitional guarantee of its right to Uie South- 
ern S1a(es, and this ]iroclamation was sid)seipieni ly nplu-h! 
and siis(ained liy Ilie Supreme (.'<nirt of the I'nited States as an 
emergency measure justified by the exigencies of existing comli- 
tions. Among the most staliilizing and ]>erpetua<ing ]iriuci- 
pies of (his ffejiulilic, enunciated by the wise and ]iM(riotic 
f ! amers of tlie < 'onstiuil iini — •'ihe grealesi good lo the gr;'a(- 
est num])(>r" and "Ki)ecial ])rivileges to none" — ajijieals \'ny dite 
considerali(ai in the jireseiU crisis. It seems to ans\\-er clearly, 
Yiidi great polency, in the negative, (he important ([uestion un- 
der discussion: Shall the business interes(s. |>leasui'e proclivi- 
ties, a.nd lovi' for ■•(hrilling advenlure"' of a lew citizens be 
j'.iven ]i;!ramount inijiortance o\'ei' the intej'ests, common good 
and ]!(';',<(• of more than one hundre(] millions of men, woriien, 
and children? 

The defense of sucli exercise of (he right in liehalf of ilie 
few Americans, who ever use it, c;innof. we ihin!;. coniraen-.i 



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-f 



itself to the .approval of the great and dispassionate body of 
the common people of this Republic; since it possesses no mer- 
its justifying an appeal to arms at the cost of treasure and the 
shedding of innocent blood. 

There seems to exist no justifiable cause on humanitarian 
principles invoking the intervention of this Kepublic in the 
conflict for or against either side. I'articipation in it on such 
grounds against either side would clearly demonstrate and es- 
tablish the existence of a partizan spirit, and could not be justi- 
fied on the claim of entrance for humanity's sake. Calmly and 
dispassionately considered, clearly the true appeal of humanity 
is against both sides, for the termination of the fierce conflict, 
and the cessation of its destructiou and carnage. 

If this nation were powerful enough and adequately 
equipped for the successful undertaking, it might justify in- 
tervention against both sides for that purpose, just as it is now 
proi)osed to intervene in Mexico. In no other manner and for 
no other jturjiose does it appear that this government could 
justify its intervention in this great European struggle for the 
sake of humanity. lint manifestly this I{epublic is not ]iower- 
ful enough for such herculean undertaking against all the 
great forces involved in it. while she may be, for such undertak- 
ing against the combined forces of Mexico. 

For these reasons I do not think intervention by this (iov- 
ernnient in this great Euroi)ean war for humanity's sake could 
be justified before the American jjeople. 

I am a native American of Scotch- Irish descent, a pro- 
nounced administration Democrat, and stand for Amei'ica and 
her interests first and last above all other nations, but T have 
a passionate desire for her to be right in her causes of coin- 
j.laint in the present crisis, as well as in all others she may be 
called to face, to the end that unsullied i)restige aii<] honor, frui- 
tion and blessings, instead of needless calamities, may always 
lie and remain the heritage of her ])eople. 

Jesse B. ]\Ioor.E, 
May 2S, 101.^. Arkade]])liia, Ark. 



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